Lamellar electrical connector terminal

ABSTRACT

A MALE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR ENTRY INTO AND RETENTION IN A FEMALE CONNECTOR OF THE TYPE COMPRISING A BASEPLATE WITH ITS EDGES ROLLED OR FOLDED INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE BASEPLATE BUT WITH THE EDGES SLIGHTLY CLEARING THE BASEPLATE, SAID ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING A LAMELLAR STRIP OF METAL SHAPED AT ONE END FOR ENTRY INTO THE FEMALE AND HAVING FORMED THEREIN AT LEAST ONE INTEGRAL PROTUBERANCE FROM ONE FACE AND AT LEAST ONE INTEGRAL PROTUBERANCE FROM THE OPPOSITE FACE.

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United States Patent Giovanni Briui Vla Caprera 14 (Nichelino), Torino, ltaly 820,127

Apr. 29, 1969 June 28, 1971 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented LAMELLAR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINAL 5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

U.S. CI 339/258 Int. Cl .L H0lr 1l/22 Field ol Search 339/256, 258

References Cited UN lTED STATES PATENTS 3/l961 Ellis 339/278 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,184,311 7/1959 France 339/258S l,540,606 4/l968 France 339/256SP Primary Examiner-James A Leppink Assistant Examner-Joseph H. McGlynn Attorney-Berman, Davidson and Berman ABSTRACT: A male electrical connector for entry into and retention in a female connector of the type comprising a baseplate with its edges rolled or folded inwardly toward each other on the same side of the baseplatc but with the edges slightly clearing the baseplate, said electrical connector comprising: a lamellar strip of metal shaped at one end for entry into the female and having formed therein at least one integral protuberance from one face and at least one integral protuberance from the opposite face.

LAMlllLlLAR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINAL The invention described herein is a male lamellar electrical connector terminal, of a type composed of a flat element in the form of a blade with blunted angles, made to be forcibly inserted by hand into a female electrical terminal, composed of a baseplate with two small inwardly rolled or folded wings and so designed as to hold the lamellar electrical connector terminal blade so that the blade adheres against the baseplate.

The term adheres as used herein indicates mechanical retention against accidental dislodgement as by vibration.

Normally, the above-mentioned electrical connector terminals must comply with precise characteristics which determine their dimensional tolerances, especially as regards the thickness of the metal from which they are obtained. In the fabrication of the lamellar terminal, the thickness is very irnportant, since it determines, other than the electrical characteristics of the connection, the mechanical adherence characteristics in coupling the lamellar terminal with the female terminal, and, in addition, it establishes the conditions of contact for a good transmission of electrical current. v

However, there are situations in which it would be very desirable to be able to reduce the thickness ofthe lamellar terminal. Such reduction would be desirable, for example, when the lamellar terminal must be connected to other electrical parts which are made of materials of considerably lesser thickness (than the normal thickness of a male terminal). In such cases, one previously had tov resort to reduction terminals, made of much thicker metal, all of which obviously complicated the fabrication and rendered the connection between the terminal less than satisfactory for a good transmission of electrical current.

The subject invention has the main purpose of obviating the above-mentioned disadvantages, by achieving a lamellar terminal, as described above, designed to be fabricated using a much thinner metal so as to ensure; in the coupling with the female terminal, the identical conditions of mechanical adherence and of transmission of electrical current as compared with terminals of thicker metal.

Another purpose of the subject invention is to achieve a lamellar terminal as described above, designed to be fabricated as an integral part of other electrical components made of metal of reduced thickness, so as to simplify the fabrication and production of such components.

Another purpose of the invention is to achieve a lamellar terminal as described above, which is characterized by high resistance to deformation.

As a result of the characteristics described in the three preceding paragraphs, the subject invention achieves the following benefits:

First, reduced materials costs;

Second, simplified and improved components and electrical circuits for use in electrical appliances, domestic applicances, automobiles, vehicles, and a large variety of end items and applications using electrical circuits and components;

Third, reduced production costs;

Fourth, improved design and utility of electrical components.

The principal distinctive characteristics of the lamellar terminal, which is the subject of this invention, is derived from the fact that two or more protuberances are provided projecting out, respectively, from the opposite faces of the blade, and designed to come in contact, respectively, with the baseplate of the female electrical terminal and with at least one of its small pliant wings, regardless of the orientation of the lamellar terminal when inserted into the female terminal.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the detailed description which follows, which refers to the attached drawings, and which are provided as examples, but which are not intended as limiting the applications, characteristics and advantages of the invention.

FlG. l is a top view of the face of a lamellar terminal which is the subject of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view, in the direction II-II depicted in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are two longitudinal sectional views, in the directions III-Il l and IV-IV depicted in FIG. I;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the face of a lamellar terminal which is a variation from FIGS. 1 4, incl.;

FIG. 6 is a cross section view, in the direction VI-VI, depicted in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section view, in the direction Vll-VII depicted in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the face of a lamellar terminal which is another variation from FIGS. l-4, incl.;

FIG. 9 is a cross section view, in the direction lX-IX depicted in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the face of a lamellar terminal which is still another variation from FIGS. 1 4, incl.;

FIG. 11 is a cross section view, in the direction XI-XI depicted in FIG. I0.

FIGS. l-4 illustrate the body of a lamellar terminal for electrical connections, made to be utilized as a wire-end terminal or to be incorporated in other useful electrical components. In accordance with this invention, the lamellar terminal is made of a thin metal sheet of a thickness less than 0.8 mm. and is provided at its free end l with two blunted angles 2, 2a to facilitate its insertion into the female terminal, and is also provided with two projecting stops 3, 3a designed to limit the extent of insertion into the female terminal.

The lamellar terminal is provided with two pairs of protuberances 4, 5, 4a, 5a, aligned along spaced longitudinal axes and along spaced horizontal axes. Each pair of protuberances 4 and 5, 4a and Sa is composed of protuberances 4, 4a which project out of one face of the terminal, and protuberances 5, 5a which project out symmetrically from the other face of the terminal. The protuberances which project out of one face of the terminal are designed to engage in the loophole openings 7 in the base 9 of the female terminal 6, while the protuberances which project out of the opposite face are designed to engage in the folded wings 8, 8a of the female terminal in order to ensure establishment of good adherence conditions and to ensure the best transmission of electrical current. The fact that the two alternate protuberances extend out of one face and the other two from the opposite face of the lamellar terminal, assures achievement of the same conditions of mechanical engagement and of electrical transmission, regardless of the orientation of the male lamellar terminal when inserted into the female terminal. Therefore, even when rotating the lamellar terminal with respect to its longitudinal axis, one always has two protuberances engaged into the folded wings 8, 8a of the same female terminal.

As a result of this type of functioning, the metal plate of which the lamellar terminal is constituted is substantially flat and utilizes the two pairs of protuberances as a means of engagement with the female terminal.

According to the variation illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 incl., the lamellar terminal ll' is gently curved in the longitudinal direction, and employs only one pair of separated protuberances 4' and 5', projecting out respectively from the two concave zones of the two opposite faces. The subject protuberances are placed so that one of them 4l', as illustrated in FIG. 7, will engage one of the loophole openings 7 of the female terminal 6, while the other will engage against one of the folded wings 8a of the female terminal.

The presence of only two protuberances, one on each face, is made possible by the fact that the engagement against the wings of the female terminal 6 is achieved also by virtue of the curved surface of the lamellar terminal.

Similarly, according to another variation illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lamellar terminal 1" presents similar gentle undulations and is characterized by two protuberances, 4" and 5", positioned much closer to each other than in the variation illustrated in FIG. 5, in order to achieve the same function of engagement as described in the preceding paragraph.

According to still another variation, illustrated in FIGS. I0 and lll, the lamellar terminal 1"' is provided with higher frequency undulations in the longitudinal direction, and employs two protuberances, essentially circular 4"' and 5"', located in the convex zones, for the purpose of engaging one of the loopholes 7 of the female terminal, and, respectively, one of the folded wings 8 of the same female terminal.

In addition to achieving a considerable savings in materials costs because of the lesser thickness of the metal of which it is fabricated, the lamellar terminal described herein is characterized by a high mechanical resistance and longitudinal stiffness because of the longitudinal undulations. Moreover, the presence of the protuberances ensures an optimum contact for the transmission of electrical current and at the same time prevents the accidental disengagement of the lamellar terminal from the female terminal.

Naturally, while still keeping within the principles and rights of the invention, the forms of application and the details of design and fabrication can be widely varied with respect to the specific examples described and illustrated herein.

I claim:

l. A male electrical connector for entry into and retention in a female connector of the type comprising a baseplate with its edges rolled or folded inwardly toward each other on the same side of the baseplate but with the edges slightly clearing the baseplate, aid male electrical connector comprising a lamellar strip of metal shaped at one end for entry into the female and having formed therein at least one integral protuberance from one face and at least one integral protuberance from the opposite face, said protuberances being located to make contact, respectively with either the baseplate or one of the edges of said female connector, said lamellar strip as a whole being formed with complementary undulations directed longitudinally, each of said protuberances projecting from a concave portion of an undulation.

2. A male connector as set forth in claim l including additional pairs of protuberances, the protuberances of the pair being aligned with those of the adjacent pair, the protuberances of each line alternating in protrusion from one face to the other.

3. A male connector as set forth in claim 1 in which said protuberances are mutually in immediate juxtaposition.

4. A male electrical connector for entry into and retention in a female connector of the type comprising a baseplate with its edges rolled or folded inwardly toward each other on the same side of the baseplate but with the edges slightly clearing the baseplate, said male electrical connector comprising: a lamellar strip of metal shaped at one end for entry into the female and having formed therein at least one integral protuberance from one face and at least one integral protuberance from the opposite face, said protuberances being located to make contact, respectively with either the baseplate or one of the edges of said female connector, said lamellar strip as a whole being formed with complementary undulations directed longitudinally, each of said protuberances projecting from a convex portion of an undulation.

5. The male connector as set forth in claim 4 in which said protuberances are mutually in immediate juxtaposition. 

